.HEIC File Extension

HEIF , also known as H.265, is a digital photo storage format that saves images at a higher quality and in smaller-sized files than the .JPEG format. This reduces the amount of space photos take up on memory cards and mobile devices.

In 2017, with the release of iOS 11 , Apple made HEIF the default photo storage format for iOS devices. With this change, iPhones and iPads began saving users' photos as HEIC files. When Apple added HEIF support to iOS, they also added HEIF support to macOS, with the release of High Sierra.

When you export or send a photo captured with an iOS device's Camera app to a non-iOS device or application, the photo is typically converted from an HEIC file to a JPEG or .JPG file. For example, when you upload an iPhone photo to Twitter or send it in an email, the photo is automatically converted to a JPEG.

If you'd like your iOS device to automatically capture photos as JPEG files instead of HEIC files, you can do so by:

After you select Most Compatible , your device will begin capturing photos as JPEGs.

NOTE: Some digital cameras also save images in the HEIC format.

To open a .heic file, you need compatible software that supports this file format.